A 52-year-old man died from gunshot wounds after security forces - who were guarding a government building - opened fire on protesters close to the place. The spiritual head of the Druze sect, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, met with the protesters on Wednesday, and described the man who died as a "martyr of duty" Last August, the increase in gasoline prices sparked widespread protests across Suwayda Governorate, which was largely untouched by the violence that has swept across Syria since 2011.